Getting Shy

The day wasn't particularly cool, but both Patrick and Fluttershy were shivering, slick with sweat and other fluids as they lay on the bed and rested after their workout. They hadn't moved much since their exertion and 'Shy was still sprawled over Pat's chest and belly.

"Whoa," Pat said, yet again.

There was no answer because 'Shy was using her tongue to idly lick his slick skin. The patch of warmth only served to contrast the chill elsewhere on his body. He lifted his arms and patted Fluttershy's sides. His hands came away damp. She had really worked herself hard that second time, wringing out every drop of sweat and... other fluids from both of them. Her raspy tongue slid sideways, seeking out a fresh patch of his skin, and the light, ticklish touch made Patrick jerk and chuckle. He grabbed her muzzle with a hand and gently pushed her away.

"Maybe we need to get a shower. If you want salt I can make some toast and I can salt the butter, okay?"

'Shy jerked her head out of his grip and went right back to nuzzle his hand. "In a minute. I'm comfy right now."

Their lovemaking had taken a while, but they still had plenty of time so Pat relented. He could endure a bit of chill, especially with Fluttershy feeling so warm and solid on him. He could feel the gentle rocking of her body as she breathed deeply. It was no longer full-on gasping for air, but she was still a little winded. At least her flight muscles hadn't bothered her that much, or if they had 'Shy hadn't complained. She'd used her wings mostly for balance, so maybe that wasn't strenuous enough to bring back the ache.

He stared at the ceiling, their encounter playing over in his mind. "You really went at it there, Buttershy."

She didn't answer, but her face turned red and she looked away in embarrassment. However enthusiastic during sex, 'Shy still wasn't very comfortable talking about it.

"I thought ho- ponies didn't usually last that long."

This got her attention and Pat winced at his near slip up. He opened his mouth to apologize for it, but 'Shy beat him to it. "What do you mean 'ponies don't last that long'?" she asked, narrowing he eyes. "Just how many ponies have you slept with?!"

"What? None, 'Shy. Where would I even- Look, even if there were a bunch of mares around, you're the only one for me, okay?"

While that did mollify her somewhat, the suspicious, questioning look didn't leave her eyes. "So you know how long ponies, um, mate for, how exactly?"

Patrick shrugged a little and answered quickly, not wanting 'Shy to be upset. "Saw it on the Internet."

Somehow this was the wrong thing to say and she jerked her head back in shock. The sudden movement shifted her entire body and Pat became aware of the wet, sticky mess between them.

"You watch ponies- um do it on the Internet?!" Fluttershy demanded. "Why? Is that even a thing? Why is that a thing?!"

A few possible lies flashed through Pat's mind and were discarded. 'Shy sometimes had an uncanny ability to tell when he wasn't being honest with her. He didn't want to risk it and have a big fight with her on the day she was leaving. "Look, it was when I just met you, okay? Before we- before I even realized I liked you this much. I was curious."

Her eyes narrowed and Pat hurried on.

"Well, after that time you told me what your withers were called I went and looked up the rest. You know, so I wouldn't make a fool out of myself." It still didn't explain everything, but he was getting to the point. Luckily, 'Shy didn't look impatient, only worried. "Anyway, I learned about pony body parts and-" Now it was his time to blush and turn away, but he forced himself to continue. "I saw what their, well, behinds look like and I got curious. S-So I found some..." Pat shrugged helplessly. "You know. Videos. Um, of Earth ponies and horses."

Unfortunately her glare was still there. When he'd finished, 'Shy took a breath and said: "Let me get this straight. After you met me you went on the Internet and did some research on how to- how to make love to ponies?"

"Hey, you're making it sound sleazy!"

What Pat didn't bring up was his low key desire for 'Shy long before they really became friends. She didn't need to know about that and he wouldn't have acted on it if she hadn't shown any interest anyway. Luckily she had, and he had, and it turned out to be amazing. That thought totally made sense, he told himself.

She shook her head and stood up. Patrick's gut clenched up in fear that she'd storm away in anger and then refuse to see him again. He reached up with his hand and cupped her cheek. "Please, Buttershy. It was just curiosity, I swear."

The touch and the nickname worked and she paused. "Well, how would you feel if I watched videos of, uh, humans doing it just after I met you?!"

That one was easy and Pat's face split into a grin. "Honestly? I'd be kinda turned on. That sounds hot, actually. We can totally do that if you want!"

It wasn't the answer she was expecting and it disarmed her somewhat. 'Shy blinked in surprise and her mouth gaped open in shock. "R-Really?" she managed at last.

"Totally! We can do it, if you want. Then we'll be even."

The blush came back and Pat knew he was out of the danger zone. He sat up and put his other hand on her muzzle as well. That allowed him to guide her face closer for a very chaste kiss. "What do you say? Next time you come visit, we put on some porn and you can see how humans do it."

Her face was nearly the same color as her mane, but Fluttershy's eyes flickered back to meet Pat's gaze before darting away again. "Well... maybe," she said noncommittally. "I'll think about it."

"So you're not mad at me?" Pat asked, just to be sure.

This time her smile was more confident. "I guess I'm not. It's just weird. I wasn't expecting anything like that."

"Well, we're kinda weird, don't you agree? Us, I mean."

She pulled her head out of his hands and looked down, noting how he was absolutely covered by a mixture of her mare juice and his seed from the waist down. "I... g-guess," 'Shy mumbled. "Sorry about the mess. I don't know what came-"

Pat silenced her with a kiss and gave both her ears a quick scratch. "Are you kidding me? It was totally awesome! You're a beast when you're horny."

He caught a glimpse of her horrified expression and quickly corrected himself. "A beast in a good way. I really like it."

That seemed to make her feel better, but 'Shy still didn't manage to meet his gaze. "I guess we should shower," she proposed.

"Yeah, sure! I'll help wash you if you like!"

Her smile returned and she gave him a nuzzle in gratitude. "Okay, but just a shower, understand? We don't have time for- for- more."

"Don't worry. I don't think I even could right now."

Despite his words, Pat felt a twitch in his nethers, making him a liar. If 'Shy stuck her rump at him and wiggled a little, he'd be up for round three, no matter how long it took this time. She was right, however. They barely had time for a shower and a nice, leisurely breakfast before 'Shy had to leave. Then it'd be back to a lonely, empty apartment for him. Maybe it was a piece of luck that he had work the next day, Pat thought. At least it'd take his mind off the fact that his week with Fluttershy was over.

Hopefully they could come up with a good plan to get her away from Mason permanently. He pushed the melancholy thoughts away and stood up. With 'Shy sitting on the bed she had a good view of his midriff and Pat caught her sneaking glances. It was making her blush, but she kept looking, so he waited to let her examine him. She hadn't really had a chance to look before, Pat realized.

Except- all the scrutiny was starting to excite him and his member began to rise. "Sorry! It's what happens when a pretty girl is looking at me!"

'Shy gave a small squeak of surprise and whirled around to stare at the wall. "I wasn't- I didn't look!" she lied.

Patrick reached over and patted her mane. "You don't have to be embarrassed about it. Look as much as you like, I don't mind. It's kinda hot, actually."

She didn't turn around and he guessed 'Shy would need some time to get to terms with her sexuality. He could only imagine how confusing the feelings must be for her, especially considering the contrast between her normally demure self and her greedy passion.

"I'll get the shower going, you can join me or go after me, whichever you like."

She turned back, but kept her eyes strictly on his face. "Thanks. I'll join you, um, in a minute."

He gave her another pat and left the room. He caught her staring at his butt as he turned the corner and smiled to himself. A few more passionate nights and maybe 'Shy won't be embarrassed to ask for what she wanted.

There it was. Weekend shift, a price Pat had to pay for taking the whole week off. The only consolation was that he wasn't alone. Small comfort, though. Beside him there was Alex, an avid career climber, and Paul, who had been stuck in the same position for almost a decade and seemed to like it. The latter was happily married, or so he claimed and the former had a long-term girlfriend. In a way Pat wanted to talk to them about his experiences, but of course he couldn't mention Fluttershy.

Maybe if he pretended she was a human girl?

In any case, he wanted to get through the shift and go home as soon as possible, hoping that 'Shy might be allowed to visit, at least for a while. It was unlikely the first time Mason was back home for a whole day, but a man could dream. Pat glanced at the wall clock and grimaced to himself. It was barely two, which meant there were four more hours to trudge through. He took refuge in his memories of that last morning.

"Well, someone's in a good mood," Paul commented. His desk was directly opposite Pat's and the older man had been watching him with something akin to curiosity.

At the words his other coworker kicked away from the wall so he could look around the shoulder-high wall. "You're right," Alex said. "Probably got laid."

"What?!"

Alex grinned knowingly. "Yep, that's the 'laid' look right there. Anyone we know?"

Maybe it wouldn't hurt to gossip just a little. He was quite proud of his budding relationship with 'Shy, after all. "Okay, but don't spread this around, got it?"

They both looked at one another and shrugged. "Sure, whatever you say," Paul promised and Patrick knew he would gossip about it first chance he got.

It still didn't stop him, though. All he needed was a name, something which sounded like 'Shy, but was human and easy to remember. "Okay, so yeah, I have a girlfriend." For some reason saying that made him grin. 'Shy would have said 'marefriend', which was technically more correct, but would give entirely too much away if he blurted that out.

"Good for you," Paul congratulated. He had a bit of a leer on his face as he asked his next question: "What's she like?"

"Um... blonde."

She was, if you considered her coat color, Pat mentally justified, but the lie left a distaste in his mouth. "W-with pink highlights," he amended.

"Ugh, one of those," Alex grimaced. "Next you'll tell us she's a vegan and really big into animal rights, right?"

"No, she's not-" Again he paused as he felt his cheeks heat up a little. "She's vegetarian."

"Knew it," the younger of his coworkers said. "Don't stick it in crazy, but you obviously already have. Was it good, at least?"

Paul picked up the line of questioning from there. "Big tits?"

Again, Pat felt that a version of the truth was his best bet. "Not really. I kinda like them small."

"She is eighteen, at least?"

"What?! Guys, I'm not like that! She's twenty-something. I didn't ask, but definitely over twenty one." After all, 'Shy had gotten drunk, so she had to be old enough, right? Pat hadn't asked about the legal drinking age in Equestria.

He noted with relief that both guys believed him, but they still looked curios. It occurred to him that he could simply refuse to answer any more questions, but it felt quite inclusive to be talking about 'Shy. As long as he didn't let slip she was a pony.

"So?"

"So what?"

"What's she like in bed?" Alex insisted. He had a leer on his face, quite similar to the one on Paul's, which made Pat's ears burn.

"Good."

The guys burst out laughing until there was a bing on his computer and Alex had to take a call. Paul gave Pat a sly wink and said: "Well, if you're okay with crazy, good for you, man."

"She's not crazy. Just a bit shy."

"Well, bring her around sometime for drinks. I'm sure we can cure her of that," Paul concluded and went back to his computer.

Pat wished he could, but he didn't want to imagine what his coworkers would say if they found out 'Shy was a pony. Everyone at the office knew about them since they'd all talked at length about the phenomenon when it was on TV, but they probably never imagined meeting one. Not to mention Pat in a relationship with one.

"Yeah, I'll see about that," he promised, intending to do no such thing. He was starting to think that maybe he shouldn't have mentioned it at all.

"Oh, by the way," Alex piped up, having apparently already concluded his call, "what's her name?"

Pat reached for the first one that popped into his mind. "Uh, Felicity."

His coworker chuckled loudly as he rolled his chair back to his computer yet again. "Yep, sounds like the type. You sure she's not vegan?"

Patrick chose not to respond. Luckily he got a call and had to deal with a customer, which served very well to take his mind off the lies and insinuations. By the time he was done, two more were in his queue. It was going to be a busy day.

The rest of the day and the evening passed somehow and Pat could hardly remember what he'd been doing. Everything felt like a haze as he waited for 'Shy to call him as they'd agreed. He was unable to sit still and kept going back to his kitchen window to peer into Mason's house, but aside from the light being on he never caught any sign of life.

At long last his phone rang and Pat nearly dropped it in his haste to answer. It was Fluttershy and he stabbed the green button with a finger that was almost trembling in anticipation. "H-Hi!"

"Um. hello," she replied, but her voice was quiet and hard to understand. Pat wondered if her phone was defective and mentally cursed that they hadn't tried actually talking through it before. He'd shown 'Shy how to call him and helped her set it up so the phone wouldn't ring out loud, but that was about it. On the other hand, maybe she was just being quiet out of fear of discovery.

"Can you speak up a bit? It's kinda hard to hear you."

There was a brief pause and then her voice came through a lot clearer. "Oh, sorry. Is it better now? I g-guess I should keep my mouth closer to it."

Pat remembered how acute her hearing was and realized she must have heard him quite comfortably even without holding the phone up to her face. He could almost imagine her lying on her belly on the bed, with the phone nestled between her forehooves. She'd be focusing her ears on the device with rapt attention. The mental image made Pat smile.

"Yeah, that's good. It's nice to hear you."

"You too! Um..." More silence as 'Shy looked for something to say, but Pat beat her to it.

"So, how was your day?"

She thought it over for a while, then there was a faint rustle as she readjusted the phone or something. "Honestly," her voice came back, "it's been kinda lonely. Um, Mr. Mason was working the whole day and I didn't really have anything to do." There was a definitive note of longing in her words. "I wanted to go to the park, but I'm not allowed on my own."

"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that," Pat commiserated. "Can you sneak over so I can cheer you up a little?"

No reply came for a while and he was about to ask if they were still connected before Fluttershy spoke up: "I d-don't think that's a good idea. Mr. Mason is working late. He said he has to catch up on his paperwork. He might come check on me."

"Okay, yeah, I understand. Some other day then."

"Some other day," she agreed. Then, more timidly: "I missed you."

"Yeah, same here. I know it's only been a day, but I really miss having you around, Buttershy."

There was some more rustling in the speaker, then a long, forlorn sigh, only slightly clipped by the bad microphone. "M-Maybe someday..."

"Have you thought about, y'know- not being such a good maid and all that? Like we talked about?"

She didn't answer right away, but this time Patrick waited with bated breath. He didn't dare risk interrupting her. Finally, 'Shy said: "I d-don't feel comfortable doing that, Pat. I-"

Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat before going on. "I think we should come up with a different plan."

It was a blow, but a phone call wasn't a good time time try and convince her. Pat realized just how much he'd come to depend on her body language and he wished he could see how she was holding her ears right then. There was an angle of half-splayed which meant she was afraid and wanted nothing to do with the conversation, but there was a slightly different position which meant she wanted to be convinced.

The thought of her soft, fuzzy ears made Pat smile and he changed the topic. "You know what I miss the most?" he asked. "I miss scratching you behind the ears."

There was a sharp intake of breath and he hurried on to take the sting out.

"It's not like I think of you as a pet or something, you know that! B-But- I mean- you enjoy it, right? And it's not like I do it without asking, s-so-"

"Pat," she interrupted with some force behind her words. "You almost never ask before touching me. When- um, when we're sitting together you just put your hand on my head and start scratching."

He hadn't even realized he was doing it! Maybe, on some level, he really did see her as a pet? If so, that would make their bedroom activities even weirder. "I'm sorry-"

Once again she spoke right over him, but her voice was quiet and trembled a little: "I kinda like it. Um, m-most of the time."

The admission made Pat relax and start to grin. He was perfectly fine fondling 'Shy if she liked it. "Okay, how about this then: If I start scratching your ears and you don't want it, just push me away or say so and I'll stop, deal?"

"Deal."

He wished he could do that right now, but unfortunately phones only worked for sound. He'd never realized just what a big limitation that was. If only he'd gotten her a phone which could do video calls, maybe that would be a bit better.

"Um," 'Shy said into the silence, "so how was your day?"

"Ugh. You wouldn't believe some of the customers we got!"

"Wanna tell me all about it?" she offered.

Patrick considered it for a moment, then shrugged to himself. Maybe she would get a good chuckle out of some of the cases he'd handled. A few of them were a bit ridiculous, after all. "Okay, so there was this lady..."